Skip to content
UnitAge
Enter serial
Johnson Controls / York family

How old is my Fraser-Johnston furnace?

Enter the serial number from the label. The date comes from Fraser-Johnston's documented serial rules, not a guess.

Look for “Serial No.” or “S/N” on the label. Spaces and dashes are fine.

Free, no account needed Photo scanning coming soon

How to read a Fraser-Johnston furnace serial number

  • Plant letter + year digit + month letter + year digit (October 2004 onward)

    Example: N0L4123456 (York) was made in October 2004. Since October 2004, York-family serials start with a plant letter, then the year's third digit, a month letter and the year's last digit: "0" and "4" make 2004, and "L" is October. The month letters skip I and J.

Not decoded yet: Coleman, Evcon and Luxaire all-number serials, Luxaire two-letter serials, pre-2004 York serials with year letter P, and geothermal, ductless and commercial units.

Where to find the serial number

Turn the furnace off at its switch, then remove the upper access door (the burner or blower compartment). The rating plate is on the inside wall of the cabinet or on the back of the door.

The plate lists the model number and serial number; many newer plates also print a date of manufacture.

How long does a furnace last?

A typical furnace lasts about 15–20 years. That's a general estimate: maintenance, usage, climate and installation all matter, and age alone doesn't tell you a unit's condition.

Range from NAHB / Bank of America, Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (2007, archived copy), Carrier: how long does a furnace last? and Lennox: how long does a furnace last?.

Fraser-Johnston furnace recalls

No Fraser-Johnston furnace recalls were found in U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data when this page was checked (2026-09-29). A decoded result checks your model number live.

Questions

How can I tell how old my Fraser-Johnston furnace is?
Find the serial number on the rating plate and enter it above. Fraser-Johnston furnaces use the Johnson Controls / York family serial format, which includes the manufacture date. For example, N0L4123456 was made in October 2004: Since October 2004, York-family serials start with a plant letter, then the year's third digit, a month letter and the year's last digit: "0" and "4" make 2004, and "L" is October. The month letters skip I and J.
Where is the serial number on a Fraser-Johnston furnace?
Turn the furnace off at its switch, then remove the upper access door (the burner or blower compartment). The rating plate is on the inside wall of the cabinet or on the back of the door. The plate lists the model number and serial number; many newer plates also print a date of manufacture.
How long does a furnace usually last?
A typical service life is about 15–20 years. That's a general estimate: maintenance, usage, climate and installation all matter, and age alone doesn't tell you a unit's condition.
Do York, Coleman, Luxaire and Evcon furnaces use the same serial format?
Yes. Fraser-Johnston, York, Coleman, Luxaire and Evcon use the same serial-number conventions (Johnson Controls / York family), so the same decoding rules apply.
How reliable is the result?
The Johnson Controls / York family rules come from documented sources, but they're in Beta while we check more real-world examples, so results are capped at medium confidence. If a serial doesn't match a documented format, we say so instead of guessing.

Same serial format: York furnace, Coleman furnace, Luxaire furnace, Evcon furnace

Other Fraser-Johnston equipment: air conditioner, heat pump

Sources

Rules last reviewed 2026-09-29. These rules are in Beta while we verify more real-world examples, so results are capped at medium confidence.

Manufacture dates are decoded from manufacturer serial-number conventions and available documentation. Serial formats can change. Verify critical equipment information with the manufacturer when necessary.